Double Whammy
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Gibbs finds himself taking care of a very sick Abby and a very sick Tony.  This is part of my Here and Now scenario.
1. Dr Ducky

Gibbs stepped off the NCIS elevator and into Abby's lab with a Caf Pow, but stopped abruptly when he saw no one. He turned to scan the lab and saw no sign of the Goth, which was pretty uncommon. A noise behind him from the hall made him turn, and he spied Abby walking toward him, but looking decidedly...well, hinky. Cautiously moving past Gibbs she said carefully, "Hey, my Silver Haired Boss, what can I do for you?"

Gibbs studied her a second and noticed how pale she was, then reached out to grasp her arm. She stopped walking and he extended a palm to check her forehead. She was burning up with fever.

"When did this start?" he questioned, shocked that she had gotten sick.

"It's nothing," Abby answered, attempting to make light of her illness, "just a little upset tummy. I just need to sit down a second, and I'll be good as new."

"Does your head hurt?"

"My head and my throat, and everything else, but I was just going to my office to get some aspirin. That will knock out the kinks. I have a party after work tonight. It's Friday, Gibbs-"

Pushing her bodily toward her office he ordered, "Get your coat and pocketbook and whatever else you need. You're going home."

Her face crumbled at the words. "Gibbs, no- I'll be ok in just a little bit! You know I've been talking about this party for forever. Remember, the one at my friend Trevor's house?" Abby tried to pull out of Jethro's grasp but he tightened his grip and didn't release her until she was at her desk.

"Now, Abby, now- get everything. I am cancelling your party plans. You are not going to the party or to anywhere except to bed!"

Abby's eyes filled with tears and she regarded him with a hurt expression. That usually worked with Gibbs. He didn't back down though, but reached over to shut down her computer instead.

"Ok, ok, I got it. Let me close up though. I know where I want to put everything and what I need."

"That's fine with me. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, and when I return, make sure I see this lab dark and locked, and you had better be almost at the house." With that, he kissed her on the cheek and softened his voice. "Go, now-"

Jethro turned and headed back to the elevator, but pressed the floor for Autopsy instead of for the Bullpen which housed his team.

When he disembarked he found Ducky washing up at the sink. "Duck, I need you to check Abbs. She's got a fever and I just sent her home."

Ducky nodded in agreement, "Ah, yes, Jethro, I was just coming to find you. I just sent our Anthony home for the same reason. The two are probably victims of the same ailment, though I must say it was very difficult to get young Anthony to throw in the towel. He didn't want to leave at all. I had to threaten him with you to get him to obey me."

Jethro absorbed that information and responded, "So it's a double whammy, and they're both sick. Ok, I'm headed home. What time will you be there?"

"I'm right behind you, my Boy," Ducky assured him.

Half an hour later Jethro was entering his house, Ducky right behind him. Ducky spoke up, "You know, I didn't actually ask Tony which house. He might have gone to his own apartment."

"No," Gibbs shook his head, "he'll be here, and Abby will be here, too."

The foyer table was laden with coats, mittens, and assorted outerwear which had been dropped instead of put in its rightful place in the entrance closet. Kicked off shoes had been hastily discarded as well. Gibbs guessed correctly and pointed Ducky towards the living room. Sure enough, Abby was curled up asleep on one end of the oversized couch and Tony was curled up on the other, sound asleep, as well.

Ducky looked at Gibbs, "This new sofa of yours, it's got a sofa bed, correct?" Gibbs nodded, and Ducky clarified, "That might be our salvation. I am pretty sure this is the flu, and it is going to be rough on you running up and down stairs to tend them in their rooms. We can leave them here to convalesce during the worst of it."

"Whatever you say, Ducky, just tell me what you need me to do."

"When were they exposed to the flu?"

"I don't think they were, we've all been..." Jethro's voice trailed off. "Wait a minute- you know they help Sister Rosita out one Saturday a month at the community centre. Abby told me a lot of the people were sick when they were there last Saturday."

"That's probably it. That would allow for the correct incubation period. Now, let's commence with our medical duties- the work. We'll deal with one at a time. It's probably wisest to start with Tony. Did you know that in 1915 a worldwide flu epidemic decimated whole populations? I remember in med school..."

Gibbs held up his hand in annoyance. "Duck, please..."

Ducky smiled knowingly and answered, "Of course, Jethro, of course-"

Both men moved to Tony's side of the sofa, and Gibbs grabbed one of the dining room chairs for Ducky to sit comfortably for his examination. Ducky gently shook Tony awake, and told Tony he needed to take his temperature. Tony refused immediately and curled tighter into the nest he'd made in the covers, his sick body desperately trying to go back to sleep. Ducky looked to Gibbs for assistance.

Jethro reached down to brush back Tony's bangs, and began untangling some of the bedding around him. "Tony," he ordered, "Tony, sit up right now and let Ducky take your temperature!" At the sound of Jethro's voice, Tony groaned, but obeyed the directive and started pulling himself up to a more upright position. "Hey," Gibbs continued, and his voice softened, "I've got some things for you to do, then I'll let you go back to sleep."

Tony finished pulling himself up, opened his mouth to take the thermometer, and mumbled, "Boss, I don't feel too good."

"I know, but don't talk and let Ducky get the temperature and do what he needs to do."

Tony stayed quiet and still and Ducky was able to get his temperature reading, obtain a blood sample, and complete a flu test within a couple of minutes. He nodded to Jethro to signal that he was through.

"Tony," Gibbs commanded, "Tony, look at me, Son." Tony sluggishly obeyed, and Gibbs continued. "Go upstairs, use the bathroom, change into some sweats, get anything you need from your room, and get back down here. Understand?"

Tony nodded, and Gibbs grabbed his arm and helped support him as he stood. He could feel the heat radiating off of his protégée.

Tony started slowly up the stairs and Ducky directed, "Ok, now we will follow the same procedure with Abigail." Abby was a little more cooperative, though her eyes filled with tears when they made her sit up. Gibbs brushed her bangs back as well, rubbed her shoulders gently, and gave her the same instructions that he had given Tony.

As soon as she was gone Gibbs and Ducky pulled out the sofa bed, made it up with linens, and gathered pillows which they placed against the sofa's back. Jethro went to the kitchen and dug into the cabinet above the refrigerator until he found two thermal glasses, which he filled with water, and placed on the side tables on either side of the sofa arms. Ducky turned and recommended that he also put a plastic trash can on either side, as well, in case they were sick to their stomachs, then placed aspirin dosages for each patient.

"What do you think, Duck?"

"I am positive it's flu, but we won't know for sure until I get these samples to the lab. They are sick all right. Anthony's fever is a hundred four, and Abigail's is a hundred three point six. The next three days are going to be bad, but then they should begin to improve. As soon as we get them settled I'll watch them while you go get the prescription."


	2. Jethro Nightingale

Jethro Nightingale

Gibbs looked up to see Abby finishing her descent. She was changed into her favourite long white nightgown and had taken down her pigtails. She had Bert clutched against her, and quiet tears were sliding off her cheek.

She whimpered, "I don't feel good."

Ducky pulled the covers back and motioned her to get under the blankets, then handed her the aspirin and water. Tony returned in a long sleeved tee and sweat pants and looked like he would collapse. Gibbs directed him to the other side and gave him his water and medicine, then leaned down and brushed back his bangs. Tony was burning up, all right.

They were sound asleep in five minutes, and Gibbs bent down to smooth the cover over both of them.

"Won't they make each other sicker?"

"No," Dr. Mallard assured him. "They have the same ailment, and keeping them together is going to make your life bearable. Go on to the store now, and I'll care for them. You know it's not going to be my face they want to see if they wake up- they'll want to see yours."

Ducky smiled kindly and Jethro grabbed his own jacket and headed out. While the prescription was being filled he shopped for fruit popsicles (great for sore throats), ginger ale, juice, and the makings for homemade soup.

The next afternoon Jethro rested in a chair he'd pulled up near the bed. Both patients were sleeping, but fitfully. He had them on a schedule which centred on the medicine they were given every four hours. First he woke Tony and medicated him, had him drink, and made him eat some of the chicken noodle soup Jethro had prepared. Then he let him settle down again while he did the same with Abby. Ducky had come by that morning, confirmed the diagnosis of flu, and insisted Jethro go upstairs to his own room and nap while he watched the invalids. Gibbs fell asleep the second he hit the bed- he was just that exhausted from round the clock nursing.

So after his refreshing nap he watched the two and slipped into a relaxing reverie as he contemplated their personalities and the way they had worked themselves into his life. Tony was curled, almost in a fetal position , on his side, cocooned in a mountain of covers. Abby was on her back, arms flung out so that one arm actually rested on Tony. Bert, her stuffed hippo, was tucked into the blanket beside her. Awake, the two were live wires, and their love and admiration for Gibbs was open and genuine. They had made his home their home over the years, though both still kept apartments. However, during the week they were an integral part of his household more than half the time, and each had claimed an upstairs bedroom as his and her own.

Gibbs smiled at the memory of his visit to the community centre just last week. Abby had called and asked him to pick them up at five, but he finished his errands early and headed there around four. Sister Rosita and the Nuns supervised volunteer services at the community centre every weekend, and worked with all age groups in the homeless and lower economic neighborhoods. Abby and Tony devoted one Saturday a month there, and were on a first name basis with those served. Gibbs entered the building quietly, deciding that it would be good to see them interacting in a setting other than NCIS or his home. As soon as the door closed he was surrounded by the sounds of children. The receptionist at the desk greeted him, and he told her he was there to collect Abby and Tony, but could wait, since he was early. She beamed when she heard the names and gushed, "You must be one proud daddy. Those two are a godsend, and I don't know what we would do without them. I have rarely seen young people so hard working, or so unselfish!" Gibbs felt a wave of pride, and didn't bother to correct the misconception that they were his children. She told him where they were, and he took in the various activities being conducted in the centre as he wandered through the building to find them. Abby was tutoring middle school students in reading, and he stood at the doorway and listened to her lead the group with enthusiasm and humour. She didn't see him, and he made his way towards the gym area, where Tony was coaching a group of high school students at basketball. Tony didn't detect him either, and Gibbs stood for a minute listening to Tony's directives and encouraging remarks. Turning around, Gibbs collided with Sister Rosita herself.

"I beg your pardon, Sister," Jethro stepped back. "That was entirely my fault. I didn't realize you were here. Did I hurt you?"

"Do not let it worry you, Agent Gibbs. I actually was coming to find you. The receptionist said you were here." For a second Gibbs was afraid that she was going to give him a bad report about either Tony or Abby. He braced himself. Composing his face into a blank mask, Gibbs waited expectantly to hear the message. "I wanted to make sure to tell you what a positive impact you have made with young Abby and young Tony. They discuss you often, and in their eyes, you are superman. You have acted as the father neither ever had, and I can assure you that they appreciate and love you. It must be a great honour to realize you are held in such esteem."

She smiled, and Gibbs, caught off guard, felt his eyes begin to fill. He quickly pinched the bridge of his nose and replied huskily, "Thank you, Sister, for telling me that. However, I can assure you that they have given me much more than I have ever given them."

The kitchen timer sounded and snapped Gibbs out of his musings. That was last week, and this was this week. It was time for his next nursing round.

By Monday there was an obvious improvement, though Gibbs had already taken off Monday and Tuesday from the agency. Ziva and Mcgee had brought him a stack of files from Vance, and he was sitting at the kitchen table where he could keep an eye on the patients in the living room while he studied military cases. Both were sitting up on the sofa bed watching television, and were feeling well enough to come to the kitchen and replenish their ginger ales as needed. Jethro's study of the file in front of him was interrupted by the sounds of conflict in the room beyond, and he leaned his head back and sighed. This was the third one this morning. There was a great deal of sibling rivalry between the two, though to their credit, once out of the house they were fiercely loyal and protective of each other. As their health improved they were becoming stir crazy, though, and arguing over the most ridiculous issues. He got up and headed into the room to put an end to the fussing.

"Tony, no- we watched the movie channel last night. It's time for comedy today!" Abby leaned over and attempted to snatch the remote from Tony's hand.

Tony threw his hand back so that she couldn't reach and insisted, "I don't care- before the movie channel we had to watch a cartoon channel because that's what you wanted. It's my turn and I'm calling the shots now!"

Gibbs yanked the remote from Tony's hand and clicked off the television before either realized what had happened. "That's it- no tv for the rest of the day. The video entertainment is on hiatus. Both of you get up those steps right this minute and don't come back down without books to read."

Tony and Abby exchanged horrified glances at the loss of video, and then hastened to repair the damage.

"I was just kidding, Gibbs," Abby began to speak, flashing him a reassuring smile, and Tony joined in with his attempt to aid their defense.

"Yes, Boss, of course we were just playing. We are taking turns. We've been sharing all morning- nicely."

"He's right, and we're sorry we disturbed you. So can we cut the set back on now? We are absolutely in a film watching mood," Abby continued.

"Nope," Gibbs responded firmly, "so get up and do what I have already told you to do right now."

Abby and Tony, knowing it was futile to argue, glared at each other, then scrambled off of the sofa bed and to the stairs.

"It's all your fault, Mister- I- want- to- rule-the- airwaves!" Abby hissed, sticking her tongue out at Tony.

"I don't think so, Miss- let's- scream- so- Gibbs- hears- us- and- takes- the- remote!" Tony ground out in response.

Gibbs watched as they tried to race each other up the stairs and shook his head in exasperation. They were less work when they were sick. He had definitely miscalculated by calling both of them sick at the same time a double whammy. It was when they were well and energetic at the same time. That is when they were the most trouble, and when they were, without a doubt, a double whammy for him!


End file.
